Prichard approves curfew despite mayor's qualms

View full sizeThe Prichard City Council, led by city councilman Troy Ephriam, seen here on Sept. 29, 2009, approved a curfew Thursday. (Press-Register file/John David Mercer)

MOBILE, Alabama -- The Prichard City Council on Thursday voted to approve a teen curfew despite requests by the mayor and police chief to allow them more time to develop an implementation strategy.

"This is something that is really going to help in the city of Prichard, and I’m glad we were able to get it done," said Councilman Troy Ephriam, who sponsored the ordinance.

Residents at public forums on the ordinance have shown overwhelming support for it.

Across the city, the curfew will make it illegal for people under the age of 18 to remain in public places after 10 p.m. on school nights.

In the downtown area, the curfew would be in force every day. Those under 17 also would be prohibited from public places from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on school days.

The ordinance includes a number of exceptions where the curfew would not apply, such as when a teen is working or on an errand for a parent.

The measure passed on a 3-2 vote, with council members Herman Towner and Ossia Edwards dissenting.

Mayor Ron Davis said he agrees that there needs to be a curfew, but he said the council should have given him and the police chief more time to iron out an enforcement plan.

"We don’t want people to think that the police are going to be out there tomorrow enforcing a curfew, because there is no plan at this time," he said.

For example, the city has been working on a hotline that would allow residents to call in curfew violations without tying up other police phone numbers, but the system hasn’t been ironed out completely, Davis said.

The ordinance doesn’t go into effect for 45 days, Ephriam pointed out, saying that police should be able to develop an enforcement plan by then. 